Notable Alumni of Bemidji State University

Thomas D. Waldhauser 1953–

Retired Marine general, former AFRICOM commander

Bob Bird 1951–

Former chairman of the Alaskan Independence Party

Also attended: Minnesota State University-Mankato

Marion O'Neill 1969–

Republican member of the Minnesota House

Michele Leonhart 1956–

Former Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration

Carly Melin 1985–

Former Minnesota House of Representatives member

Also attended: Hamline University

Patricia Walrath 1941–

Massachusetts state representative from 1985 to 2009

Also attended: State University of New York at Oswego

Torrey Westrom 1973–

Republican member of the Minnesota Senate

Also attended: Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Christopher Waller 1959–

Federal Reserve governor and economist

Also attended: Washington State University

Gary Paulsen 1939–2021

Author of children's and young adult fiction

Matt Dalton 1986–

Ice hockey goaltender for South Korea

Zach Whitecloud 1996–

Calgary Flames NHL defenceman

Joel Otto 1961–

Former NHL center for the Calgary Flames

Brad Hunt 1988–

Canadian former NHL defenceman

Matt Read 1986–

Canadian NHL player for the Flyers and Wild

Andrew Murray 1981–

Former NHL ice hockey player

Jim McElmury 1949–

Former NHL ice hockey player

Arnie Johnson 1920–2000

Professional basketball player for the Rochester Royals

Zuzana Tomčíková 1988–

Slovak ice hockey goaltender, 2010 Olympian

Bachelor's degree · Mass communication · Class of 2012

Rob Sirianni 1983–

Canadian-born Italian ice hockey player

Matt Climie 1983–

Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender

James Ellisor 1990–

Professional basketball player

Also attended: Glendale Community College

Stephanie Anderson 1992–

Ice hockey player, 2015 World Championship gold medalist

Also attended: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Jared Zezel 1991–

Curler at the 2014 Winter Olympics

Lem Burnham 1947–

Former NFL defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles

Also attended: Santa Ana College, Temple University